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Positive Experiences towing Travel Trailers

23K views 57 replies 32 participants last post by  FirstFrontier23 
Just finished setting up my tow configuration on my 2022 SV 2WD. I am towing a Springdale Mini (Heavily Modified inside). It weighs about 3700# fully loaded. Tongue weight is around 420#. I always travel with empty tanks. I use the Anderson WDH (mostly for sway control) and have installed the Sumo bumper stops to minimize squat and help with sway control. Basically, I can drive 65 on interstate and get little to no noticeable sway from semi trucks. I put in tow mode and limit the transmission to 7th gear. I averaged about 12.5mpg interstate highway on a recent trip to Gulf Shores (about 1000 miles round trip).

Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Plant
 
Here is mine:
View attachment 354555

I try not to drive faster than 60 miles per hour for a few reasons. I have my two toddlers in the back seats that I have to stop after a while and change diapers. So I do not drive faster than that for the sake of better control of the truck (especially when wind is dramatically involved) and to help my gas last just a little bit longer on distance and time. I have done enough of these trips with the family to know that I can last about 100 miles on one full tank of gas before I have to start planning out where I can safely and easily fill up again (and change diapers). Usually that is as much time that I have for a quiet ride with the toddlers napping - anything longer and it becomes a bit complicated getting them to cooperate on a trip. So we try not to go too far and besides it gives me the excuse to to it more often with closer trips so that I gain more experience each time.

Also, I know the truck looks like it is squatting on the pic but that is because the front wheels are sitting on concrete and the back are still sitting on the dirt site of that camp ground. I have a WDH that helps the truck greatly (I initially drove without one on my first and can attest to how vastly different the experience is). This trailer is also on the heavy side of what I see most people comment on this site - it weights near 5000lbs dry. And the truck behaves brilliantly and adding to my speed comment - I never ask my truck to do ridiculous things when towing. Not so much because of the truck or trailer but because my family is much more important and I want us to get there safe.
Is that the campground at Jekyl Island, Georgia. Looks like it with all the Spanish moss.
 
Nice rig. Looks like your rig has those steps that fold up inside trailer. Our last one had those and Hated the way they would dump trash in the trailer if you did not clean them off real good. I went back to the under carriage steps on present trailer. Your weight is about the same as mine and truck handles it very well with no issues.
 
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